Tuesday, November 06 Mount Lorette [Day 44] 0805-1630 (Blake Weis). The temperature at the start was -9C, the high was -7C (1100-1400) and it was -6C at 1630. Ground winds were N-NE 0-5 gusting 10-18 km/h all day, and ridge winds were moderate N. Cloud cover was 100% cumulus, stratocumulus, altocumulus and cirrus all day with the exception of 1200 and 1300 when it reduced to 90%. Light snow fell to 1100 when it ceased until 1600 when light to moderate snow started falling again. The eastern ridges were only 10% obscured to 1100 that gave the possibility of raptor movement, but they then became 90-100% obscured for the rest of the day. The west was 80-90% obscured to 0900 that subsequently became 100%. No migrant raptors were seen, but 2 non-migrant Bald Eagles (1a, 1 late sa) were noted. There was a strong southward migration of waterfowl that included 2 unidentified swans, 455 Canada Geese, 665 Mallards, 25 Common Goldeneye and 40 Common Mergansers. Birds seen near the Hay Meadow site included 1 Brown Creeper, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, 43 Common Redpolls, 16 White-winged Crossbills, 20 Pine Siskins, 1 Lapland Longspur and 10 Dark-eyed Juncos. There were no visitors today.

8.42 hours (456.1) TOTAL 0 (2987)

Tuesday, November 06Vicki Ridge [Day 41] 1130-1430 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson mainly observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). The temperature was initially –9C but rose to -8C at 1300. Winds were light E-SE and cloud cover was 100% stratocumulus. There was 14 cm of fresh snow on the ground and light snow continued to fall all day. The ridges were obscured by low cloud to 1100 but then almost completely cleared until 1430 when they again became shrouded. No migrant raptors were seen, but a resident adult Golden Eagle flew to the north at 1244. Other birds seen included 1a Northern Shrike and a flock of 100 Bohemian Waxwings.

3 hours (357.9) TOTAL 0 (4435)

Tuesday, November 06 Steeples [Day 43] 1215-1700 (Vance Mattson). The weather was better west of the Rockies where the temperature was 5C, winds were light W to calm and cloud cover was initially 40% stratus and cumulus that was concentrated around the mountains, but by 1600 it had increased to 100% although the ridges remained clear. A total of 10 migrants of 3 species moved between 1405 and 1453 coinciding with the lifting of clouds that had hitherto covered the ridges. The count was 4 Bald Eagles (3a, 1sa), 1u Northern Goshawk and 5 adult Golden Eagles. A resident Golden eagle was also seen at 1535.

Wednesday, November 07 Mount Lorette [Day 45] 0815-1725 (Caroline Lambert, assisted by Rachael Mackay and Blake Weis). The temperature at 0815 was -14C, the high was -4C (1400-1600) and it was -6C at 1725. It was calm to 1400 after which ground winds were N 0-5 km/h with a single gust of 15 km/h, and ridge winds were NW all day, light to 1500 then moderate. Cloud cover was 70% cirrus to 1200 that reduced to 10-20% cirrus with scattered cumulus to 1600 after which it was cloudless. Apart from occasional cloud drape on the eastern ridges the mountains were clear all day. After 3 days of poor movement today saw 17 eagles, 9 Bald Eagles (7a, 1sa, 1u), 7 adult Golden Eagles and 1 unidentified eagle that migrated steadily between 1342 and 1646. With the exception of 1 Bald Eagle that was seen to the west over Olympic Summit all birds were seen on the Fisher Range where they mainly flapped slowly or soared without gaining any significant altitude. Other birds were a single flock of 57 Canada Geese, 1a Northern Shrike, 2 Canada Jays, 3 Common Ravens, 2 Mountain Chickadees, 2 White-winged Crossbills and 2 Pine Siskins. The tracks of 2 Grey Wolves were seen in the 0.5 cm of fresh snow that was on the ground in the morning, but no human visitors made it to the site.

Wednesday, November 07Vicki Ridge [Day 42] 0945-1645 (Peter Sherrington, assisted by Hilary Atkinson observing from the Waterton 61 wellsite). There was another 9 cm of fresh snow on the ground and the ridges were partially obscured by an ice-crystal haze until 1000. The starting temperature was -11C, the high at 1500 was -4.5C and it was again -11C at 1645. Conditions were essentially calm all day with occasional brief breezes (<5 km/h) from S-WSW. Cloud cover was initially 10% cumulus with 70-80% cirrostratus, cirrus and cumulus at 1200 and 1300 that dwindled to 10% at 1500 and it was then cloudless for the rest of the day. It was a beautiful sunny day but the air was inert and the only raptors seen were 2 Golden Eagles: a juvenile that soared high over Kyllo Ridge and flew south at 1227 and an adult that soared high, occasionally into the base of a cumulus cloud, and glided south at 1235. A mixed flock of 24 Trumpeter and 3 Tundra Swans flew high to the SW at 1120 and a smaller flock of 6 Trumpeter and 1 Tundra Swan flew high to the south at 1530, 156 Canada Geese in 3 flocks flew to the west and other birds seen were 1 male and 1 female Hairy Woodpeckers, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, 1 Clark’s Nutcracker, 18 Common Ravens, 60 Bohemian Waxwings, 36 Grey-crowned Rosy Finches, 46 Red Crossbills and 5 Common Redpolls.

7 hours (364.9) GOEA 2 (2544) TOTAL 2 (4437)

Wednesday, November 07 Steeples [Day 44] 1500-1645 (Vance Mattson, assisted by Caryn Kilback observing from the South Lakit site). The temperature was 1C, conditions were calm and cloud cover was 60% stratus and cumulus that gave periods of sunshine but also shrouded the ridges. Six Bald Eagles (1a, 1sa, 4j) and 1 adult Golden Eagle migrated slowly between 1545 and 1554 with much low soaring below the clouds on the ridge.

About RMERF

Since 1992, Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation (RMERF) volunteers have performed annual raptor migration counts at the same site location in the Kananaskis Country, Alberta, spring and fall; significantly providing data to the understanding of and amazement in watching Golden Eagles.